Twin cylinder steam engine



935. J. M. SHIMER 2,012,778

TWIN CYLINDER STEAM ENGINE Original Filed April 21, 1931 :5 Sheets-Sheet1 f5 [7 @ZSHNMGH/ME ATTORNEYS Aug. 27, 1935. .1. M. SHIMER 2,012,778

TWIN CYLINDER STEAM ENGINE Original Filed April 21, 1951 3 Sheets-Sheet2 sw Q .1 is? s. 1 Q l a m M is \N R ,f M M Ii 1 A M M- M S A I y 1 a 1ggw 1 a $1 $1 1 m 1 m m 3 INVENTOR L/EBH/VMTH/MEE.

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ATTORN EYS Aug. 27, 1935. J. M. SHIMER TWIN CYLINDER STEAM ENGINEOriginal Filed April 21, 1951 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR Q ATTORNEYSPatented Aug. 27, 1395 UNITED STATES John M. .s hirner, Wilkinsburg, Paassignor, to I Wilson-Snyder Manufacturing Corporation I Braddock, Pa.,a corporation of Pennsylvania Original application April-21, 1931,SefialNoLf 531,715. Divided and this application February; .23, 1933,Serial No..658,175 l M v 3 Claims. (01. 121-494) This invention relatesto twin cylinder steam engines and, more particularly, to steam enginesof the double acting type having twin cylinders cast together as asingle casting; This application is a divisionalapplicationofapplication Serial No.-531,715, filed April 21, 1931. v f In the twincylinder engine shown in the above 1 application, the lower part of thecrank case is divided into two compartments, one forv each cylinder, bymeans of a pair of spaced walls through which the crank shaft passes sothat a power .take-ofi may be providedbetween the spaced walls. Theshaft is supported, by bearings, one in, each crank case compartment,and these bearings are in turn supported in a structure braced to thewalls of the compartments so as to provide a rigid and permanent supportfor the bearings.

-The shaft may alsorcontinue through one or both ends of the crank casecompartments. The in- ;Vention of the present application is directedmoreparticularly to the bracing and bearing supports and to openings inthe walls of the crank case whereby the crank shaft and its bearings may.be inserted into place in a direction longitudinally of the shaft andmay thereby be readily remove dand inserted. I

f Fig. llis" a .view, partly in elevation and partly .in centralvertical section, of a vertical double ,iacting steam engine having twincylinders cast together as a single casting;

"Fig. 2 is a view principally in elevation of a steam engine of thetype'shown in Fig. 1, parts 'being omitted for the sake of simplicity,so as to better illustrate my invention;

Fig. 3'is'a section on the line II-II of Fig. 2; Fig. 4 isa horizontalsection through the steam intake manifold taken on line 4-4 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a horizontal section through-the exhaust manifold taken online 55 of Fig. l; and

'Fig. 6 is-a View in elevation of a modified form of my invention with apower take-off at one end of the crank shaft, and with a floatingoutboard bearing, parts being broken away to facilitate illustration.

In Figs. 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5, I have illustrated one embodiment which myinvention may assume, it being understood that this embodiment is merelyillustrative and is not intended as a limitation of my invention. Thesefigures illustrate how various parts of a twin cylinder steam engine maybe formed integral.

In the preferred embodiment of my invention shown in Figs. 1, 2, 3, 4and 5, the steam cylinders 1 and 8 are integral with steam intakemanifold 8 and with steam exhaust manifold Ill and hence bearingsupports 1,3; and isydivicledv with each otherf Frame 1] portionsleaving between, the two divis ons an cpe ac q W h ne h d v s en wqlis qfi a supp B. fo Qnep em n bearin so en i B m an ef We -M i5 'M w P: o I3 is b ace-d h it issr e fd w thi is imme 11-. Between the webs and .15isa stiffening web I1 and between the webs l5 and Ibis asirni; a w b W;l ex n fipwar y f m w -H n fi. re e ti y-,- -The. Web 19 does notcooperate directly witnwthe support l3 while the web 20 doesdirectly, arigidly. brace the,

the support 13. The support [3 is in thdfbriri of a ringsurrounding'thel'mainl'baringg ahdl a minor. portion of thissupportgindicatedgby the numeral 2 ,-is flexible so as to.- permitclamping withinthe sameofthe housing 22,.of themain bearing. The ringshaped support'fli is split at g "23, a 'snownin Fig. 3. f. Tlie twoparts of '.the clamp areprovided'with openings lthroughi which extends astud 24. Nuts'25' came twoendsof the studr'n'ay bedrawn' up-tojclampthehousing 22 within the supportlilg'f Bearing support 13 also can bewidened b-y'insertingja wedge .apemn 1 23in order to facilitate theassembly O 1116 crank shaft with the frameill so that theimain bearingsmay be received within the 'aring supp orts l 3;'-

The main bearings are" onstituted" by roller bearings 26. In order.thatj'thecrankshaft 21 the 1openings'3lj'in" the frame I],these'openin'g s being supplied with aperture-d jcoverplats" 32.*'Itwillbe apparent thatinasmuch as the'cr'anks 28 are made 4.

separate from the crank shaft 21, it is possible to mount the races ofthe roller bearings 26 on the shaft 21. The assembly of the crank shaftand roller bearings may be positioned within the supports 13; and bymeans of the studs 24 and the nuts 25, the housings 22 of the rollerbearings, 26 may be secured in position. The cranks 28 may be pressedonto the crank shaft 21. In the embodiment shown, keys 33 secure thecranks 28 to the shaft 21. r

In assembling the crank shaft and mounting it in its bearing supports13, the roller bearings 26 and their raceways are mounted in the proper39 may be assembled with the fr amefso as ;t' be 'rotatably suDDQrtedbythe roller bearingsilt, 'cranks' 28 are made separateffrointhe-jshaftfl. Openings 29'are provided'intheframe l l in alinement withthe main bearings'jth'eseopenings 2 8 'being supplied 'withcover plates;"fThe'"c'ran:k

spective openings, the crank shaft is inserted through the opening 29and is extended through the openings 3| until the roller bearingraceways are in proper position in their respective mountings l3. Theymay then be secured in position by tightening the bolts 24. Thereafterthe cranks are keyedonto the shaft and the spaces 29 andfal areclosed-by their respective covers 30 and 32. It will be understood thatthe covers 3! are not mounted on the crank shaft 21 butare merelyapertured to permit the latter to extend there- NY through. They may bemade in sections so that they may be placed in position and removed.

The construction and arrangement of thecylinders and pitmen form thesubject' matter of the parent application Serial No. 531,715 and are, p

' shaft extending'through said intermediate power therefore, notdescribed in detail herein.-:

In the embodiment of my invention shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the powertake-off member, such as a gear or sprocket, may be keyed at 46 to thecrankshaft 21; ;-This power -take,-off member is accordingly disposedintermediatethe cranks28. In the embodiment shown in'Fig'. 6,:the frameand the steam end of the engine are identical with that shoWn inFigE-Z;The crankshaft-41 has a crank l8'for'med'integral therewithc'. Theopenings 29 are identical with the openings shown in Fig, 2.

Inasmuch'as the second crank 28"is formed separate from the crank shaft41', the shaft maybe supported in roller bearings similarly, as in theembodiment shown in Fig.2. The cover plate 49 shown in Fig.6 isprovidedwith a pair off roller bearings 50 forrotatably supporting theprojecting'end of the crank shaft 41. Theseroller bearings areycontainedwithin a housing 52 {fitting an' opening in the cover plate 49. Theinner races of the bearings are held in position onshaft 41 by a nut 56.The outer races may beadjusted within the housing 52 bya gland memBerSl, which serves also as an oil seal. Themain' hear-- ing 26 iscontained within a housing 58 which is secured in position in thebearing support l 3; The housings 22 and 52, on the other hand, mayslide relative to their respective supports I3and'49. This takes care ofpossible expansion, stresses in the bearings and in the crank shaft. Apower take-off member maybe .securedby the key 60 to, theshaft 41 in theSpace... between thetiiio divisions of the frame I I and on theprojecting nd ,5] may be secured by'the key 6| "or other suitable meansa secondpower take-ofi rnember.

It will. be apparent, therefore, that I have. provided a steam enginewhich may be supplied with a crank shaft onwhich is mounted a singlepower takeeofi member, orlwitha crank shaft on which is mounted a pairof powertake oif members. In the embodiment shown in Fig. 2, this powertake- :off member is disposed in the space l2; in the embodiment showninFig. 6, one of the power take- 011' members is disposed intermediatethe cranks and the other on a projecting end of the crank shaft. Thesteam engine is, therefore, adapted to a variety of different drivingconnections.

While I have described in specific detail two embodiments of myinvention, it will be apparent that various additions, substitutionsand'changes can' be made therein, without departing from this invention,and under the scope of the followmg claims.

Whatl claim is: 1. A twin cylinder steam engine comprising a crank case;having two compartments, one for each cylinder, said'compartments beingseparated by a pair of spaced walls forming a power take of! spaceintermediate said compartments, a crank take off space 'int'o saidcompartments, roller bearings removably mounted in said case secured toand supporting said crank shaft, said case having openingszthroughwhichsaid crank shaft extendsand of a size to permit passage of said bearingstherethrough, and closures for said openings about saidycrank shaft. 2..A twincylinder steam; engine Comprisin a crank case having twocompartments, one for each cylinder, said compartments'being separatedby a pair of spaced walls forming a power take offspace'in-termediatesaid compartments, a crank shaft extendingthroughsaid intermediate power take off space into said compartments,roller bearwings .removably mounted in said case secured to of saidcrankcase carrying the outer be aring for said crankshaft. 1 V .3. Atwin-cylinder steam engine comprising a crank case havingtwocompartments,- one for each cylinder, saidcompartments being separatedby a pair f spaced walls forming a power take off space intermediatesaid compartments, acrank shaft "extending through said intermediatepower take off space into said compartments, roller bearings removablymounted in said case secured to and supporting said crankshaft, saidcase'having openings through whichsaid crank shaft extends and of'a sizeto permitjpassage of said bearings therethrough, and closures for saidopenings aboutsaid crank shaft, said case having bearing supportssupported from the bottom of the case by Supporting .and stiffening websto form a rigid support. throughout the lower semi-circumference of saidbearing and split at the upper part to permit release of said bearings.

JOHN M. SHIMERJ

